


Winter

by onlybritainisgreat (frecklesarechocolate)



Series: December Story a Day Challenge [1]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Comfort, M/M, Warm, Wings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-02
Updated: 2012-12-02
Packaged: 2017-11-20 02:43:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 938
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/580403
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/frecklesarechocolate/pseuds/onlybritainisgreat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Written in response to a prompt from the December Story at Day Challenge. (http://30daychallengearchive.tumblr.com/post/37032637639/december-story-a-day-challenge)</p><p>Prompt: Winter</p>
            </blockquote>





	Winter

He exhaled and could see his breath in the cold air. Pulling his jacket closer around him, he stepped out onto the snow, feeling it crunch between his feet. It had only snowed about an inch and a half last night, but because it was so cold, a thin layer of ice had formed on top.

Swiveling his head around, searching the junk yard, he finally caught a glimpse of what he sought. Who he sought.

"Cas?" He walked up and stood next to the angel, who stood alone in the center of the junk yard, eyes closed and face turned upward toward the sky. It was a clear, cloudless day, the sky a brilliant blue, and after the steel gray of the last few days, it was a relief to see the sun, even though it provided almost no relief from the bone chilling cold of a South Dakota winter.

"Good morning, Dean," Cas replied, not opening his eyes. A small smile tugged at the corners of his lips, but other than this slight motion, he stood stock still.

"S'cold out, what are you doing?" Dean said, his teeth chattering. He tilted his head back and tried to determine what Cas was doing, but all there was was a sea of bright blue sky and light sparkling off the thin coating of snow and ice on the ground. Dean lowered his head and instead looked at the angel, who still hadn't moved.

Finally, Cas opened his eyes and turned to face Dean. "Just enjoying the morning. The smell in the air is...exquisite."

"Uh huh," Dean said. He stuffed his hands in his pockets. "Aren't you cold?"

Cas smiled, shaking his head. "I don't get cold."

Dean frowned at this. "Then why do you wear..." he gestured at Cas, taking in the trench coat and suit jacket in the wave of his hand. "All that?"

Cas looked down at himself, a puzzled expression on his face. "Because it is what Jimmy was wearing." He shrugged, a remarkably human gesture. "There was no reason to change it."

"O-okay," Dean shivered.

"But you are cold," Cas said, concern clouding his eyes. He stepped toward Dean and wrapped his arms around the hunter. Dean closed his eyes, feeling the warmth radiating off the angel. There was a soft rustling noise, and Dean felt something curl around his shoulders, pulling him closer to Cas.

"Cas?" Dean asked, the sound muffled by the fabric of Cas's trench coat. Without meaning to, he snuggled in closer to the angel.

"It's just my wings," Cas replied.

Dean lifted his head, astonished. And out of the corner of his eye he could see, really could see them. Feathers fluttering around his shoulders, and in front of him, hovering over Castiel's shoulder, the top curve of the largest wing he had ever seen. He sucked in a gasp at the sight. "They're...god, they're fucking gorgeous, Cas." 

Cas mumbled an embarrassed reply that Dean did not catch, because he was too absorbed in taking in everything about the wing. Dark in color, they were iridescent, capturing the light from both the sky and the sparkling snow on the ground. The tips of the wings softly caressed his cheek, and he unconsciously leaned into them. They looked hard as metal, as strong as obsidian, but they felt unbelievably soft, like silk against his skin.

Dean closed his eyes again, enjoying the moment of warmth and comfort offered by his friend, and realized that not only did he feel the heat of the angel, but he also felt safe. Safe in a way that he hadn't felt in almost thirty years. Safe in a way that he knew he tried to provide for Sammy, but probably wasn't nearly as successful as he'd hoped.

They stood like that for several moments until Dean began to realize that he was no longer shivering. In fact, he wasn't cold anymore, he was actually getting really warm, almost hot. His cheeks flushed, and he was thankful that they were probably already red from the cold. He pulled away slowly, reluctant to let Cas go, reluctant to remove himself from the cocoon of warmth and safety, but he was also breaking out into an uncomfortable sweat, and it wasn't just because of the warmth.

It was damn intimate, is what the embrace was, and while he had hugged Cas in the past, and Cas had grasped him on his shoulder ( _the_ shoulder, Dean remembered. Each. And. Every. Time.), this kind of hug was unusual. It was an embrace, a caress, and it held more meaning that Dean was really ready to examine just yet. He cleared his throat and stepped back, already mourning the loss of the warmth, comfort, safety, and something else he wouldn't let himself define.

"Thanks, Cas," he said, his voice rough. "I'm going to...ah, I'm going to head back inside." Dean jerked his thumb over his shoulder at the house behind them and stepped to stand beside Cas.

Cas slid his eyes to the side, taking in Dean's uncomfortable stance, a small knowing smile curving up his lips. "I will be in shortly, Dean."

"Right. Okay." Dean stepped away slowly, still facing Cas. "Okay." He turned on his heel and hurried into the house, breath misting in the air, leaving Cas out in the cold winter morning, his own thoughts buzzing a mile a minute, wondering what had just happened, what it all meant, and how the hell he was going to manage to be around Cas without wanting...more.

He had no idea what that meant though.


End file.
